Day 26 (Sun): Helicopter flight + Central Park

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We were supposed to take a look inside Toys'R'Us last  night but after dinner we ended up a couple of avenues away from Times Square.  We were on our way home so we simply continued.  This morning, the first thing we'll do is go to Toys'R'Us!  I'd like Mum to see the enormity of how Americans do things.  Why have a simple toy shop when you can have one with an internal ferris wheel that scales three to four stories?  If you need a gift for a kid, come here to this store.  There are grand Lego creations, the very tall animated dinosaur that has been there for years, some life-size Star Wars figures, and some very crafty sales people who are providing intriguing displays of some new toys.


I have a surprise for Mum today.  I told her that we have to go South Ferry - the bottom of Manhattan island - by about 1:30pm.  We grab some lunch at Times Square and then make our way down by subway.  We emerge from the escalator onto the surface.  Mum is familiar with this area from our tour bus ride.  This is where the ferries depart to the Statue of Liberty; however, our ticket isn't until tomorrow.  We walk past the Staten Island Ferry terminal and continue toward the lower east side.  I join the end of a queue of people and Mum stops behind me.  I stand on my toes to look to the front of the line to see how long it is going to take.  Mum is a little confused because she doesn't know where the queue goes.  Neither do I.  This is simply a ruse to avoid her guessing where we're going.  I smile at her and then walk to the front of the queue and continue past it.  Some runners and bicycles pass us and Mum knows something is up.  She can see and hear helicopters on the next pier.  We approach the opening of the pier and I turn right into it.  "Ahh, this is where we're going!" she says.  Yes, we're going on a helicopter ride around New York City.

Mum being buckled up in the front seat

We arrive at 1:30pm but our flight isn't until 2:00pm so we have plenty of time.  We're checked for metal objects and liquids and asked to place our belongings in a locker.  The guy is holding our locker open and Mum and I are casually working out whether we need a drink of water before the locker is closed.  He then says, "Sorry, the chopper is about to go."  Huh?  We're on early?!  Locker closed, we're suited up with floatation belts and head out to the helicopter.  Mum is asked to sit in the front, which is fantastic as far as birthday presents go!  I sit opposite a little hottie so I'm happy in the back.  We're strapped in, the headsets are put over our heads, and all security measures are taken.  The pilot tells us that we'll be a few minutes before take-off while we wait for the traffic to clear.  I'm getting butterflies as the anticipation and excitement builds.  The engines speed up to a high-pitch whine, the blades speed up their rhythmic beat cutting the air so fast that the sounds blur into a single whoosh, and we lift off quite quickly from the pier.

The pilot is excellent.  He provides a voice tour, including current events, while listening and responding to the traffic controller.  We fly over the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, then over to the Narrows Bridge that joins Staten Island to Brooklyn, then up the west side of Manhattan as far as Central Park and finally back past New Jersey to Battery Park and the pier.  The entire tour takes about 25 minutes.  This is the best helicopter flight I have taken around New York.  Mum is ecstatic.

Now that we've seen the layout of Manhattan from the air, we decide to catch a train up to the very long Central Park.  We buy an unnecessary map from the girl at the south entrance to the park but it helps create the tourist experience.  Trees losing their leaves for Autumn, green grass, sculptures, bridges, lakes, plush horse-drawn carriages, fish, turtles, playgrounds, rock formations, food carts, runners, bikes, pedicabs, restaurants, birds, remote control speed boats and sail boats, and squirrels: Central Park has it all.  There is no traffic noise whatsoever.  Apart from seeing the tops of a few tall buildings, you wouldn't know you're in a major city.  The clouds decide it's time to send a few heavy drops our way.

I know of a great eatery below the shops at Columbus Circle so we head to the south-west corner of the park.  Upon exiting, the sound of traffic noise and horns finds us, as we find ourselves standing next to Trump Tower.  The silvery metal globe in front of the building reminds us how cosmopolitan this city is.  We cross the street and go downstairs to the Whole Foods Market.  This place is like a cross between a supermarket and a food hall.  There are different hot and cold food bars serving plates of food, salad bars, soup bars, drinks, fruit, and some other grocery items.  If you're staying to eat, fill up your plate, make your way to the checkout, and sit down at the tables.  If not, simply fill up your basket like a regular supermarket.  I love this place, although boo to my broccoli because it is bitter.

Pics of the day